Fall-board for pianos, organs, or other instruments.



G. F. REEPS.

FALL BOARD FOR PIANOS, ORGANS, OR OTHER INSTRUMENTS. APPLICATION FILEDSEPT.1'7, 1909.

974,093. Patented 0ct.25, 1910.

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III/II '5 III CHARLES F. KEEPS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FALL-BOARD FOR PIANOS, ORGANS, OR OTHER INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 17, 1909.

Patented Oct. 25, 1910.

Serial No. 518.219.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Crrannns F. liners, a citizen of the United Statesof Ameri a, and resident of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois. haveinvented a certain ne and useful improvement in Fall-Boards for Pianos,Organs, or other Instruments. of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to fall-boards for pianos, organs, player pianos,and similar instruments.

The principal object of my invention is the provision of a fall-boardthat will fold into a small space, without intruding too far within theinterior of the piano, organ, player-piano or other similar instrument.

Another object is to provide an arrangement whereby it will not benecessary to locate the lock in the key-slip of the piano or otherinstrument.

Another object is to provide an arrangement whereby the two sections ofthe fall board will fold close together.

To the foregoing and other useful ends, my invention consists in mattershereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawingsFigure l is a cross-section of a fall-boardembodying the principles of my invention, showing adjacent parts, andillustrating in dotted lines the way in which the fall-board folds backinto the casing to uncover the key-board. Fig. 2 is a detail verticalsection on line 22 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail section on line 33 inFig. 1. Fig. t is a detail view showing a portion of the front of thefall-board and casing, and showing also the lock for locking thefall-board closed.

As thus illustrated, my invention comprises a fall-board composed offront and back sections A and B, the edges thereof being hinged togetherat C, whereby the outer surface of the fall-board is practically smoothand unbroken. The front section A has its ends provided with rearwardlyand downwardly extending arms a that are pivoted at a to the sides ofthe casing, or to other parts of the piano structure. The upper portionof the section B is provided at each end thereof with pins Z), or otherlike devices having heads. Plates D having curved slots (Z are securedto the inner surfaces of the sides E of the casing. Each plate D has aninlet slot which permits the screws 5 to obtain access to the slots (Z.The heads of said screws work in the spaces back of said plates. hen thefall-board is closed the lower edge (1. thereof rests upon or near theusual key-slip F. The shelf G has a depending lip g that meets the upperedge of the fall-board. A lock 2. of any suitable character, is providedin the lip g for locking the fall-board in closed position.

hen the fall-board is opened, the two sections thereof fold closetogether. as the hinge is between their edges, and assume the positionshown in dotted lines in Fig. l. In this position, the fall-board restsat its lower or hinged edges upon or immediately above the rail H thatextends across the usual keys I, as illustrated. hen the lower section Ais raised, the upper section B is pushed back, the screws 7) movingalong the slots (Z. Thus the fall-board is opened without extending morethan slightly within the interior of the casing. This is very important,especially in player-pianos, as there every inch of space is valuablefor the disposition of the automatic playing mechanism and other parts.

lVhat I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination with a musical instru ment case, of a fall-boardcomposed entirely of two portions hinged together, a pivotfixed to thecase for supporting the outer portion, the hinge being in front of saidpivot when the fall-board is closed, a pair of guides, and means at eachend of the inner portion of the fall-board for engaging said guides tosupport the board.

2. The combination with a musical instrument case, of a fall-boardcomposed of united sections, a pair of inwardly and upwardly extendingguides attached to the case, means on the upper section of the fallboardslidingly engaging said guides, wherc by upon opening the fall-boardsaid upper section will move bodily inwardly and upwardly, and means forpivoting the lower outer section of the fall-board to swing about ahorizontal stationary axis.

3. The combination with a musical instrument case, of a fall-board, apair of slotted guides attached to the case, means on the fall-boardengaging said guides, said guides inclined upwardly to slightly raisethe upper edge of the board when opened, a hinge connection for foldingsaid board, disposed about midway between vertical lines struck from theinner and outer edges of the fall-board, when the board is closed, andpivoted arms rigid with the fall-board, said guides being disposed atopposite ends of the fall-board.

4E. The combination with a musical instrument case, of a fall-board, ahinge connection to permit folding of the board, pivoted arms forcausing said connection to move upward and then downward when the boardis opened, and sliding connections serving at all times to support theupper portion of said board, said sliding connections including means onthe case and on said upper portion of the board.

5. The combination with a musical instrument case, of a fall-boardcomposed entirely of two portions, a pair of slotted guides or plates onthe case, means on the fall-board for engaging the slots of said plates,pivoted arms for movably supporting the fall-board, and a hingeconnection between the upper and lower portions of said board, said armsextending rearwardly of the said hinge, when the fall-board is closed,said guides being disposed at opposite ends of the fall-board.

6. The combination with a musical instrument case, of a fall-boardcomposed of upper and lower sections, the meeting edges of said sectionsbeing in the same plane so that the outer surfaces of the sections areflush with each other, said upper section being inclined upwardly andrearwardly when the fallboard is closed, a hinge connection between saidflush edges, means for supporting the fall-board so that the same shallbe bodily movable, said means being disposed in rear of said hingeconnection when the fall-board is closed, said means including devicesfor directing the upper edge of the upper section when the fall-board isopen to cause said upper section to assume a more upright position whenthe fall-board is fully opened.

7. The combination with a musical instrument case, of a board comprisinghinge connected upper and lower portions, a pivot fixed on the case forthe lower portion and disposed to the rear of said hinge when the boardis closed, and means on the case for movably supporting the upperportion of the fall board at its upper edge and thus materially relievethe strain on said hinge in all positions of the fall board.

Signed by me at Chicago, Illinois, this 10th day of Sept. 1909.

CHARLES F. REEPS.

Vitnesses WM. B. DURNIoN, E. H. CLEGG.

